Abstract
This chapter examines the National Security Strategy and the repositioning of public diplomacy as a tool of national security and prosperity. This includes William Hague’s plans to make the FCO the best diplomatic institution in the world, as well as the series of structural reforms that positioned GREAT as the new oversight board for public diplomacy. It includes a case study of the soft power strategy in action through the FCO’s Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict campaign, before concluding with a discussion of the 2014 Triennial Review into the future of the British Council and the House of Lords inquiry into British soft power.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Works Cited
Bird, C. 2013. Evidence to the House of Lords Soft Power and the UK’s Influence Committee. House of Lords, Soft Power and the UK’s Influence Committee. Oral and Written Evidence, vol. 1.
——— 2015. Presentation at Kings College, London, “The Art of Major Events Conference”. 19 January.
BIS. 2014. Newton Fund: Building Science and Innovation Capacity in Developing Countries. Retrieved from the Gov.uk website, July.
British Council. 2011. Royal Charter and Bye-Laws 1993. London: British Council.
———. 2012a. The Power of Culture to Change Lives: Why Culture Should Be at the Heart of Efforts to Tackle Some of the Key Challenges Facing the International Community. London: British Council.
———. 2012b. Trust Pays: How International Cultural Relationships Build Trust in the UK and Underpin the Success of the UK Economy. London: British Council.
———. 2012c. British Council Official Development Assistance. Briefing Paper on Programme Activity and Outcomes Reported in 11/12 10 August 2012 [internal document].
———. 2013a. Influence and Attraction: Culture and the Race for Soft Power in the 21st Century. London: British Council.
———. 2013b. Culture at Work: The Value of Intercultural Skills in the Workplace. London: British Council.
———. 2013c. Culture Means Business: How International Cultural Relationships Contribute to Increased Trade and Competitiveness for the UK. London: British Council.
———. 2013d. The English Effect: The Impact of English, What It’s Worth to the UK and Why It Matters to the World. London: British Council.
———. 2014a. As Others See Us: Culture, Attraction and Soft Power. London: British Council.
———. 2014b. Culture Matters: Why Culture Should Be at the Heart of Future Public Policy. London: British Council.
———. 2015. British Council: Improved Engagement and Governance. 27 March.
Cabinet Office. 2012. Government Digital Strategy. Crown Copyright.
———. 2013. Foreign & Commonwealth Office Departmental Improvement Plan. Crown Copyright.
———. 2014. Foreign & Commonwealth Office 2014 Improvement Plan. Crown Copyright.
Carter, C. 2014. Brad Pitt Joins Angelina Jolie on ‘Team Hague’ at Global Rape Summit. The Telegraph, 12 June.
Chapman, A. 2013. Managing the Foreign Office’s Overseas Digital Presence. 25 January. http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/adrianchapman/2013/01/25/managing-the-foreign-offices-overseas-digital-presence/
——— 2014. Reviewing the Digital Work of Our Embassies—Part 2. 28 November. http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/adrianchapman/2014/11/28/reviewing-the-digital-work-of-our-embassies-part-2/
Chorley, M. 2014. Hague Dismisses ‘Ridiculous’ Claims He Was Starstruck Hobnobbing with Pitt and Jolie While War Raged in Iraq. The Daily Mail, 16 June.
Daniels, A., and R. Childs. 2014a. A Digital Campaign Like No Other: Supporting the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. 14 July. http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/digitaldiplomacy/2014/07/14/a-digital-campaign-like-no-other-supporting-the-preventing-sexual-violence-in-conflict-initiative/
———. 2014b. A digital Summit Like No Other: Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. 14 July. http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/digitaldiplomacy/2014/07/14/a-digital-summit-like-no-other-global-summit-to-end-sexual-violence-in-conflict/
DCMS Funding Letter. 2010. 156943/DC, 20 October 2010.
Devolution Unit. 2014. Informing the Debate on Scotland’s Constitutional Future. Gov.uk. https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/informing-the-debate-on-scotlands-constitutional-future
DfID. 2010. Working Effectively in Conflict-Affected and Fragile Situations. Briefing Paper C: Links Between Politics, Security and Development. London: DfID.
DfID, FCO, and MOD. 2011. Building Stability Overseas Strategy. Crown Copyright.
Diptel FCO. 2013a. Diptel on First Scotland Analysis Paper Redacted. 11 February.
——— 2013b. Devolution and the Scottish Independence Referendum Top Lines.
——— 2013c. FCO Response of 1 July 2013 to the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) Report—Foreign Policy Implications for the UK and Scotland in the Event of Scotland Becoming an Independent Country.
——— 2013d. Referendum on Scottish Independence: Core Script.
Edmunds, T. 2014. Complexity, Strategy and the National Interest. International Affairs 90(3): 525–539. doi:10.1111/1468-2346.12125
Elledge, J. 2012. The British Council: Friend or Foe? The Guardian, 8 October. http://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/oct/08/british-council-education-training
FAC. 2011a. FCO Public Diplomacy: The Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012 (House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Second report of session 2010–11). London: The Stationery Office.
———. 2011b. The Role of the FCO in UK Government (HC 665). London: The Stationery Office.
FCO. 2011a. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Annual Report and Accounts 2010–11 (HC 974). London: The Stationery Office Limited.
———. 2011b. Business Plan 2011–2015 Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Crown Copyright.
———. 2012a. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Crown Copyright.
———. 2012b. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Digital Strategy. Crown Copyright.
———. 2013a. Diplomatic Excellence MFA Briefing.
———. 2013b. Guidance: Prosperity Fund Programme [webpage]. Retrieved from the Gov.uk website July 2014.
———. 2014a. Chair’s Summary—Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. Gov.uk.
———. 2014b. International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict: Basic Standards of Best Practice on the Documentation of Sexual Violence as a Crime under International Law. London: FCO.
———. 2014c. Queen’s Birthday Honours Recognise Those Fighting to End Use of Rape as a War Weapon. Gov.uk.
———. 2014d. Triennial Review of the British Council. Crown Copyright.
———. 2015. FCO Social Media Guidance. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fco-social-media-guidance
FCO and G8. 2013. Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict. Adopted in London on 11 April 2013.
FCO, MOD, and DFID. 2012. Preventing Conflict in Fragile States, Policy; Gov.uk, 12 December.
Flinter. 2015. The Digital Curriculum: From Vision to Reality. http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/elizabethflinter/2015/01/12/the-digital-curriculum-from-vision-to-reality/
Fraser, S. 2014. Mid Year Report to Parliament Foreign & Commonwealth Office 1 April to 30 September 2014. Crown Copyright.
Gaskarth, J. 2014. Strategizing Britain’s Role in the World. International Affairs 90(3): 559–581.
Gordon, T. 2014. Foreign Office Caught Asking Spanish Press to Undermine Scottish Independence. Sunday Herald, 9 February.
Grant, M.L. 2013. Letter Dated 7 June 2013 from the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General Security Council. (S/2013/335).
GREAT Brand Library. 2013a. This is GREAT Britain Core Scripts. February 2013.
———. 2013b. Questions & Answers.
Hague, W. 2010. Speech on ‘Britain’s Foreign Policy in a Networked World. Foreign and Commonwealth Office (1 July 2010); cited in House of Lords Library Notice, Debate on 28 April: Co-ordination Between Government Departments on the Use of Soft Power (14 April 2011, LLN 2011/014).
Hague W. 2012. Foreign Secretary Launches New Government Initiative to Prevent Sexual Violence in Conflict. Gov.uk, 29 May.
Hague, W. 2013a. G8 Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict. Gov.uk, 11 April.
——— 2013b. Foreign Secretary and UN Special Envoy Urge UN to Tackle Sexual Violence in Conflict. Gov.uk, 24 June.
Hamilton, K. 2013. Transformational Diplomacy After the Cold War: Britain’s Know How Fund in Post-Communist Europe, 1989–2003. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Hill, C., and S. Beadle. 2014. The Art of Attraction Soft Power and the UK’s Role in the World. London: British Academy.
HM Government. 2010a. A Strong Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The National Security Strategy (Cm 7953). London: TSO.
———. 2010b. Securing Britain in an Age of Uncertainty: The Strategic Defence and Security Review (Cm 7948). London: TSO.
HM Treasury. 2011. The Green Book: Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government. London: TSO.
———. 2015. Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 (Cm 9162). Crown Copyright.
House of Lords. 2013. Soft Power and the UK’s Influence Committee. Oral and Written Evidence, vol. 1.
———. 2014. Persuasion and Power in the Modern World (Select Committee on Soft Power and the UK’s Influence) (HL Paper 150). London: The Stationery Office Limited.
———. 2015. The EU and Russia: Before and Beyond the Crisis in Ukraine (European Union Committee, HL Paper 115). London: The Stationery Office Limited.
ICAI. 2013. FCO and British Council Aid Responses to the Arab Spring (Report 24, 2013). London: Independent Commission for Aid Impact.
JCNSS. 2012a. Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, First Review of the National Security Strategy 2010 (HL Paper 265; HC 1384). London: The Stationery Office Limited.
———. 2012b. First Review of the National Security Strategy 2010, Oral and Written Evidence. London: The Stationery Office Limited.
———. 2013. The Work of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy in 2012 (HL Paper 115; HC 984). London: The Stationery Office Limited.
———. 2014. The Work of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy in 2013–14 (HL Paper 169; HC 1257). London: The Stationery Office Limited.
Keohane, R.O., and J.S. Nye Jr. 1977. Power and Interdependence: World Politics in Transition, 2nd edn. Boston: Little, Brown.
———. 1998. Power and Interdependence in the Information Age. Foreign Affairs 77(5): 81–94.
Leask, D., and P. Hutcheon. 2014. Cameron’s Plea to Putin: Help Me Stop Salmond. Sunday Herald, 12 January.
Linzell, S. 2015. Digital Evaluation: Crunching the Numbers with Ripjar. http://blogs.fco.gov.uk/stevenlinzell/2015/06/23/digital-evaluation-crunching-the-numbers-with-ripjar/
Marsh, S., and C. Wimpress. 2012. British Council Expenses Row—Taxpayers’ Alliance Reveal Costly Meals and Hotels. Huffington Post, 6 January.
Martin, D. 2012. ‘Living the High Life on £7 m of Taxpayers’ Money’: British Council Staff Accused of Running Up Huge Credit Card Bills on 5-Star Hotels. Daily Mail, 6 January. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2083025/Living-high-life-7m-taxpayers-money-British-Council-staff-accused-running-huge-credit-card-bills-5-star-hotels.html
McVeigh, T. 2014. Rape Summit in London Sparks Charge of ‘Hypocrisy’. The Observer, 7 June.
Myrttinen, H. 2014. Monster’ Myth Hides Complexity of Sexual Violence in Conflict. Huffington Post, 13 June.
NAO. 2013. Supporting UK Exporters Overseas (HC 732 Session 2013–14, 16 October 2013). London: The Stationery Office.
———. 2015. Exploiting the UK Brand Overseas (HC 80). London: National Audit Office.
Nye Jr, J.S. 1990. Soft Power. Foreign Policy 80: 152–171.
Pablo, K. 2014. Acting Time; Or, Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict. The Disorder of Things, 17 June. http://thedisorderofthings.com/2014/06/17/acting-time-or-ending-sexual-violence-in-conflict/
Pamment, J. 2015. Digital Diplomacy as Transmedia Engagement: Aligning Theories of Participatory Culture with International Advocacy Campaigns. New Media & Society, doi:10.1177/1461444815577792.
PASC. 2010. House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, Who Does UK National Strategy? (HC 435). London: The Stationery Office Limited.
———. 2012. House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, Strategic Thinking in Government: Without National Strategy, Can Viable Government Strategy Emerge? (HC 1625). London: The Stationery Office Limited.
Reis, C. 2014. Does Size Matter? Reflections on the Ending Sexual Violence Summit. Cassandra Complexity, 19 June. http://cassandracomplexblog.wordpress.com/
Rowley, E. 2012. British Council Boss Defends £4600 Hotel Expenses. Evening Standard.
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. 2014. Government Response to the House of Lords Select Committee on Soft Power and the UK’s Influence (Cm 8879). Crown Copyright.
Stabilisation Unit. 2012. Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI). stabilisationunit.gov.uk
Tenerife News. 2014. A Vote for Independence? http://www.tenerifenews.org.es/2014/02/a-vote-for-independence/
UK Foreign and Security Policy Working Group. 2015. Strengthening Britain’s Voice in the World. Report of the UK Foreign and Security Policy Working Group, November.
UN Security Council. 2013a. Security Council Adopts Text Urging Targeted Sanctions against Perpetrators of Sexual Violence during Armed Conflict. 24 June.
———. 2013b. Resolution 2106.
VisitBritain. 2013b. GREAT Image Campaign. Accessed February 2013. http://www.visitbritain.org/aboutus/recentactivity/marketingprogramme/imagecampaign.aspx
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pamment, J. (2016). Soft Power. In: British Public Diplomacy and Soft Power. Studies in Diplomacy and International Relations. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43240-3_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43240-3_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-43239-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43240-3
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)